Pacemaker surgery recovery time

Common Questions and Answers about Pacemaker surgery recovery time

pacemaker

I'm 23. I had my pacemaker implanted when I was 15, during an open heart surgery to perform a valve replacement, so in July it will be 9 years old. I know I will have to have the battery replaced anywhere between two months to 4 months from now. My pacemaker was implanted under my ribcage on my left side. I know the leads are still fine from my doctors okay but I do want to know what to expect and how invasive the battery replacement surgery will be?

Thank heaven he finally listened to you! Now at least you will have access to another cardiologist, albeit in another state!
I have worked in pedi heart surgery but it has been a long time ago. My guess would be that he would only be in a couple of days, unless they have plans for a more thorough evaluation, which might be likely. Kids bounce back quickly, typically. We would have some that had simple open heart surgery and would be happily playing in their crib in 2 days, asking for soda!

I say, regardless of her age or other medical issues, go for it. It's not a difficult surgery, and recoverytime is not excessive either. I was 43 when they put my unit in, I was off work for 5 days, and the only restriction I had was not lifting my right arm (it was put in on my right side) above my shoulder level for six weeks to prevent the leads from pulling out. It takes about six weeks for the leads to "scar in" the heart muscle. After that, no problems.

Ever since this surgery she has been Extremely tired constantly and unable to do her normal activities. Is this a normal side effect after this surgery? If so, is it expected to get better with time? Her check up appointment was scheduled for two months after the surgery. Is that normal protocol?
Thank you, for any advice you can give us!

Has anyone experienced depression, anxiety or ptsd after being diagnosed with medical problems and having surgery?
Normally I'm not an anxious type of person but this is driving me bonkers. I have been so stressed from the moment I found out from my pcp that something was wrong - I knew the way I was feeling wasn't normal for me.
In a period of a month, I was in my pcp's office - specialist, testing etc & surgery, so it was very quick finding out.

You may be able to feel the pacemaker under your skin as the pacemaker is typically placed just below the skin. This area will be sore after surgery, but as time passes the pacemaker should become less noticeable.

Well maybe I had some pacemaker operating when I was in surgery, Of course don't know anything about what went on in there, thank god, the anesthesiologist kept me under the whole time.
My surgeon/hospital was all for back on your feet and I was sitting up in a high back chair within a few hours after surgery. I had several catheters hanging out of me and was hooked up to heart monitoring equipment.

Is it a long recovery period?
I was to nervous to ask much about the pacemaker because I was asking questions about the EP study. If I have to get a pacemake, it will be done on the 10th so my son can come be with me during recovery.
Anything anyone can tell me would be appreciated.

I am a 38 year old women who has had open heart surgery 4 times by the time I was 22 years old. I have also been diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, fibamylagia, lower back arthritis, high blood pressure and major depression. I still have chronic chest pain and severe fatigue, but the doctors do not have an explanation of why; but I am thankful that I am here to spend time with my 2 great children.

Recently, it was found that I have an aortic root aneurysm that they will be monitoring and eventually performing another open-heart surgery to repair. My question is - due to my pacemaker, blood thinners, history of previous OHS/valve replacement, what is the recovery time from a second OHS specifically in relation to an aneurysm repair? How long would I be off work and what is the survival (or mortality) rate?

I'm 19 years old. 3 months ago I went in for knee surgery. While I was in recovery they found me in 3rd degree heart block. I was sent home with a heart rate of 40 they thought it was just the pain meds. With in four hours I was unconscious on the bathroom floor with a heart rate of 15 quickly fading. I was rushed to the er and put in cardiac short stay for the night. They ran test after test to make sure anistisa had nothing to do with it.

My meds have not changed - only additional med is 'coumadin' since my surgery.
Today after my pacemaker was programmed 'on' I could feel it kicking in and I had difficulty breathing - everytime it came on. I don't care if it comes 'on' - I just want to walk and breath and I especially want to RUN and breath.. and the pacer gives me a shortness of breath when it comes on.
I had read once that as a runner the "DDD" program worked well.

I'm 19 years old. 3 months ago I went in for knee surgery. While I was in recovery they found me in 3rd degree heart block. I was sent home with a heart rate of 40 they thought it was just the pain meds. With in four hours I was unconscious on the bathroom floor with a heart rate of 15 quickly fading. I was rushed to the er and put in cardiac short stay for the night. They ran test after test to make sure anistisa had nothing to do with it.

I think as far as a-fib goes, it generally does not go away unless there was some specific cause for it that can be fixed (like sleep apnea, recovery from heart surgery or alcohol intoxication, etc.). From what I've read, it usually comes back.

I recovered quickly from the ablation, but since I had a resting pulse of around 160 before I had it done, I was hardly doing much but lying about - any form of exertion would speed my heart rate up to well over 200 within about 15 seconds, so I could really only improve after the ablation. I obviously ended up with a pacemaker to replace the av node, and that part of the recovery is very slow.

The doctors did not think she would even survive the night, much less the surgery. She works full time where she was working when it happened and is doing well. She doesn't go to new places because she gets confused, and forgets why or how she got there. People can recover and go on to live "normal" lives, whatever normal is these days. Good luck and God Bless all of you.

Because of heart failure, they wanted to upgrade the pacemaker to a biventricular pacemaker and ICD which would have three wires. I have had many neck surgeries so the surgeon did not think it would be wise to leave in to old wires and add three new ones so I had to have the old ones removed. I was prepped for open heart surgery in the event the wire extractions would be a problem. However, my wires were in for a long time and had scar tissue.

Hi all I am looking for someone that I can identify with who has a pacemaker and is only 33. I am recovering from pm surgery on 2-7-07 and i feel like none of my famly understands what it is like. I am a sp ed teacher and have two children and a wonderful husband but feel like I'm all alone when I don't feel good. Help! Will I be okay?

I am very very weak, my heart is irregular and basically I feel horrible. They are now adding another part to the surgery - I will get a Bivent pacemaker in place of my 2 lead one. Hopefully both procedures will help me feel better -I would do it this afternoon if I could.
If anyone has a Bivent - do they take out my current ICD or just add another lead? The ablation surgery was going to be a one nite stay - but with the Bivent being added, how long do you think I'll be in? Recovery?

Is this something that can go away on it's own?
2. I forogt to ask my gyn about the recoverytime of my upcoming surgery. I'll be having a mini-laparotomy to remove a solid cyst, possibly my rt. ovary, and my appendix. Is this a day surgery? I know scopes are, but what about this. I'll see my doc in 2 weeks again, but I'd love to know now.
Me: 32, 2 scopes, 2 c-sections, hysterectomy in 2004 )adenomyosis), pelvic pain 8+ years, mild endo.

mentioned something about other options including a pacemaker that can go on the outside of the heart, but I just didn't want to know about it at the time. Can you tell me something about this, what it is, how it works and how it is inserted please? It seems I may have a very rare and unheard of form of intolerance to pacemaker leads ( I have has three different types so far) Each time the ventricular one has been moved, maybe it is the atrial one?

Hi, what was the surgery done? was it Valvuloplasty or valvotomy? it will take time post surgery for the heart condition to settle down. Hope the regurgitation has settled down and hope there is no evidence of pulmonary hypertension. His ejection fraction should improve. Your doctor may ask for stress testing to see his exercise tolerance. So, please continue with the protocol given by your doctor and good luck with his recovery. Regards.

Immediately after aortic valve replacement, the patient will frequently stay in a cardiac surgery intensive care unit for 12-36 hours. After this, the patient is often moved to a lower-dependency unit and then to a cardiac surgery ward. Total time spent in hospital following surgery is usually between 4 and 10 days, unless complications arise. Common complications include heart block which typically requires the permanent insertion of a cardiac pacemaker.

She is now 9 months old and I have been advised that this is the time for surgery. Surgery should be done before she turns one. Her heart (right side) is enlarged. She is currently on medication 1) Digoxin (0.6ml) 2) Lasix (0.2ml) 3) Potassium Chloride (1.5ml). Items (2)
She only weighs about 6kgs, she can't sit up on her own and has not start crawling. She has difficulty breathing while being bottle fed, pausing to catch her breath.

You will also have a thin wire coming from your chest for a temporary pacemaker if required during recovery. You will have 2 or 3 drainage tubes coming from your lower chest into plastic containers. These are for collecting fluids from the surgery which would otherwise collect in the chest. Once the fluid stops, they remove the tubes which is a relief. The pacemaker wire will be removed at that time also.

I remember my parents came in, I didn't look so good and they were concerned, but I think everyone looks not so good right after major surgery.
They put in pacemaker wires in case I had any issues with rhythm but after several days I seemed okay so they pulled them out. It didn't hurt, you just exhale all the way out and out they go with a tug. I was released after 5 days - was out shopping with my friends 7 days after surgery!!!!!!!!!!

I would say the mini maze, while painful, has been recovery well but the post-surgery lung fluid has been a huge complication to my recovery.
Will continue to post.
Wishing you all a happy New year and let's hope we all have less a-fib in 2013!

It is still so soon after the surgery.
His heart is in the healing process and needs time to recover.
This often goes with some ups and downs.
During the recovery, the heart has less capacity to provide the body with oxygenated blood and to pump away fluids.
This causes his sat levels to be low.
Also, accumulated fluid behind the lungs is not so easily pumped away and gives him trouble breathing. Drinking will increase the amount of fluids, so they keep him on a low fluid intake level.

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